The Symbol of Life
by Anikasnow6
Summary: Calem was a battle-obsessed boy. He played to win. So why did he want so badly to fight alongside his sworn enemy, his lifelong rival? Oneshot, KalosShipping/JeT'aimeShipping, Calem/Calme x Serena. Like some other fics, rated T for safety.


**Hi, I'm Anikasnow6. This is my first fanfic. I wrote it a little while ago and did a few tweaks and edits, so I hope it's okay~ / This was a kind of random idea, but basically, Calem and Serena are supposed to be game-verse characters (in which I don't consider anime Serena and game Serena the same person). Serena represents life like Xerneas and Calem represents death, like Yveltal. Random, I know. ^^'**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, the characters, Pokémon X and Y, etc.**

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Calem was a battle-obsessed boy. He played to win. So why did he want so badly to fight alongside his sworn enemy, his lifelong rival?

For one thing, she was better than him, even if she didn't realize how simply _powerful _and _influential _she was. While he battled destructively, eliminating each pokémon in his path, she vitalized them one by one, giving little words of encouragement that seem to feed life.

_Her mouth, barely slitting open, letting out that little purr her pokémon loved so much._

…_Serena…_

The way her large, endearing grey eyes widen each time he faces her, as if in surprise. The way her tiny, thin lips slowly curve into a smile each time she wins. The way she befriends her pokémon, sitting on the ground as they pile atop her, eagerly awaiting a meal, and how she laughs happily as they fight over the remaining morsels and crumbs after they are done, wiping off their mouths and dangerous-looking fangs, fearless and giggling all the while…

_I want to fight alongside her._

All his life, he'd been a symbol of destruction and death. Shauna, Trevor, Tierno. When they took a look at him, they'd always said, "You are destined to be strong. You could destroy and defeat anything." Calem never knew the darkness that lingered behind those words. But when they'd seen Serena for the very first time, Calem couldn't help but notice their little looks of awe. And soon, her true potential had shown through. "Serena, if you never give up, you can accomplish what is right."

So Calem could destroy anything, but Serena would accomplish what was right as long as she wasn't clouded by emotion and depression…?

And the dark-haired boy found himself wanting to fight alongside her, knowing that her fairy-like aura was far more powerful than his dark one, and longing to feel the power of giving life and not inspiring death for a change.

But he knew she didn't need him.

Even so, he wanted to help.

The way she stood boldly in the outskirts of Geosenge Town, hesitant to launch the final assault, all alone but still not ready to give up as her honey-brown tassels and garnet-red skirt waved in the wind. The way her grey irises were narrowed as they zeroed in on their target—the very building in front of her—_Team Flare's Headquarters._

"There is the enemy. There is your target." He could almost hear what he believed Serena was saying, and tensed.

Calem knew, she wouldn't stop at anything to preserve the preciousness of life, or the justice that remained in the world. And he knew, _he had to catch up! _For her unwavering bravery and her unyieldingness to malice were her greatest traits. And he wanted to fight to preserve the serene, pristine happiness within her. Her oblivious, uncertain face with her mouth forming a small "O", and her wide, innocent grey eyes donning the long, thick lashes… He couldn't lose her, for he knew she would give her very life for the sake of righteousness.

He wanted to _give_ life for a change.

Calem was panting as he came up beside her. He rested a hand on her bony shoulder. She whirled around in surprise, her face making that innocent expression with her mouth hanging slightly open and her eyes wide. "Serena. You're not…" He narrowed his eyes as the irises became distant, examining each and every corner of the firm stone structure that was the Team Flare Base. "…Alone."

She opened her mouth a little wider, about to speak, but then she assumed a troubled expression and averted her eyes. "…Th…thank you….for coming."

He felt a twinge of pain, for he knew why she was reluctant.

_She knew. _She knew he was a destructive battler, and she didn't want him on her side. Instead of trying to help, his definition of never giving up was to keep hurting no matter what. She knew about the dark flames and aura of destruction he had acquired.

Still, there was no time to say he was sorry. Nor was there time to express how he truly felt on the inside—the emotions he experienced when his eye caught on her alabaster skin and crystalline irises. He hoped that maybe, just maybe, if the both of them could survive this incident, that he could tell her his feelings—and how he hoped to change.

But maybe she would never know. Calem bit back tears.

She was still standing there, staring at him, for he was still lost in thought. The raven-headed Vaniville Town resident quickly snapped back into reality, his eyes slowly focusing on her again. His dark pupils were unsteady, dilating and shrinking repeatedly. "…Let's go."

"…Yes, let's." Her expression was slightly wary. Serena's hands, clasped in front of her chest. Serena's eyes, directed towards the ground. "Let us be careful as to not be separated. After all…" She forced a pained smile. "…This is all the help we're gonna get. Tierno, Shauna, and Trevor…they…" Her eyes shifted uncomfortably.

Calem nodded, immediately recalling the last time the five had been together—on the way to Laverre City. He remembered how happy they'd been before they split up. Afterward, Calem and Serena had been confronted by Team Flare, and alerted about the awakening of Xerneas and Yveltal. The five hadn't been reunited since. Calem couldn't let his oblivious, uninvolved pals be hurt. He thought about their innocent charcoal black and verdant eyes and sighed, faintly registering that Serena was tugging gently and uncertainly on the sleeve of the jacket that was draped loosely over his shoulders.

"…Right." Calem pulled the zipper of the jacket he sported all the way to his throat, tightly. "Let's make haste. We don't want Xerneas and Yveltal to…" His expression darkened.

"…Indeed." And with that, the brunette pivoted on her heel and dashed towards the stone building, her lengthy locks flying out from behind her as her sneaker landed with a _tmp _on the doorstep.

"C'mon." She grunted as she pulled the door open. It was quite heavy. She gritted her teeth, beads of sweat forming on her temples.

"Here, let me take care of that for you." Calem leaned over and came behind Serena, before reaching out around her thin frame to take the frigid, stone handles. Serena's pupils shrunk as she looked up at him in surprise. His face registered no reaction, no emotion. Instead, he just heaved a grunt as he yanked the door open. "Nngh…there…!"

She touched a hand to her heart. "Thanks, Calem." Ducking under his outstretched arm, she bolted into the dimly-lit corridor beyond the entrance. Calem dazedly watched after her sadly, but still slightly amused.

Calem only pulled his head out from in the clouds when he heard his companion yelp,"Eek!" He instantly sprinted into the room and stopped at the corner, peeking over.

She stood, leaning back, both hands in the air as a form of surrender as wicked-looking pokémon circled around her, ready to devour her being.

"Ha. Very good. I knew…" Lysandre stepped out from the shadows, his feet echoing across the room, as he emerged from the hallway opposite the entrance, cloaked in darkness. "…That you would come. A little earlier than I expected, but nonetheless."

"Um…" Beads of cold sweat trickled down Serena's forehead and dribbled off her chin, dropping onto the ground in a minor splash. "Uh…" She trembled slightly, looking around wildly, as if signaling frantically for Calem to enter.

"…And I see we have another visitor, eh?!" Lysandre continued drawling. Abruptly, something struck Calem on the back of his head.

"Nngh!" Calem fell forward, crashing onto the ground as Lysandre's Gyarados watched dutifully over him, a flicker of triumph lingering in its blood-red eyes. "Rrgh…"

"Ufufu…you certainly weren't expecting that, were you? To be honest…" Lysandre's eyes, which were obscured due to shadow, now flashed dangerously. "…I wasn't expecting you either. But I suppose it doesn't matter. Two is better than one, after all. What was it again that they say… 'The more the merrier'?"

"I thought…you were _good," _stated Calem bluntly as he struggled to sit up, not knowing what to say. Serena looked at him wildly, trying to reach him. He bit his lip.

"Hahaha! But I'm not, am I." Lysandre took another step forward. He put one foot on Calem's head, shoving Calem's face towards the floor. Next, rested his elbow on his knee and propped his chin up in his palm. "I ask for Sycamore to dare challenge my ranks, and _this _is what he sends me?! _This _is what I get?! Pitiful!" He stepped back onto the ground and paced back and forth, laughing, as Calem rubbed his aching head, hoping to ease his headache. "And that's why…I'm going to eliminate everyone but Team Flare. The world has simply become so _corrupt _and _weak _that…it can no longer be saved."

"But you…you made the _Holo Caster." _More and more blunt by the minute, and his raging headache wasn't helping, either. "The Holo Caster was amazing." Great, now a ramble. "It was so convenient. It…it _helped _people."

"Your point being…?" Lysandre raised an amused eyebrow.

"My point is!" Calem shoved Gyarados out of the way and stood, latching on to Lysandre's shirt and pulling him close. Lysandre gasped, the air knocked out of him. "Why?! Why'd you have to let yourself be possessed by your ambition?! By wretched, evil temptation?! You control ambition, not the other way around! Why'd you have to succumb to a malicious temptation?! You could have been so much _better, _Lysandre—! Oof!"

Lysandre shoved him aside, slugging him with a punch, and gestured for his pokémon to come. Immediately, Serena sprang to Calem's side, examining his wounds worriedly as the boy struggled to sit up. "I'm sick and tired of your stupid sense of 'righteousness'! The deed is done! Do you _not understand?!"_

Calem sat halfway up, wiping sweat off his chin. "And I'm sick of your stupid _ideals!"_

"Hmph. Weren't _you _the one who was the symbol of death?!" Lysandre countered slyly, smirking. "You were the one who decided it was good to split up then and there! And now you don't even know if your three friends are safe while Yveltal and Xerneas are busy raging battles in the mainland! You should be ashamed to chide _me, _of all people!"

"Grnk!" Calem's eyes widened. "I guess he has…a point… But it was an accident!"

"Calem, it's okay!" Serena's eyebrows knit. "I…I agreed with you. We both messed up. We both thought it was the only way to stop Team Flare without having to have them get involved. Turns out it led to us to not see them again, and…" She sighed. "…_This. _But it's not your fault, Calem. If anyone's, it's mine. _I_ fell for it and led you into…"

"Silence, _girl." _Lysandre's once powerful, strong eyes now seemed to be a pupil-free iris, changing colors slowly from a malevolent purple to a bloodstained red. Calem knew, these were the results of overexertion. He grunted. "But since we're all here…let's battle. Give me all you got." He smirked officiously. "Let's see if you have what it takes to defeat me."

Serena and Calem exchanged apprehensive glances. "This isn't what I bargained for, but I suppose it's our only choice." She nodded. "We'll have to stay in sync if we want to defeat Lysandre. I'll use my destructive battle style to counter yours. That way, I'll lead the offense, but you can vitalize us all and…turn my destruction into a righteous destruction."

She laughed hoarsely. "I'm not sure if destruction can ever be considered _righteousness." _

He scowled playfully. "Whatever! Let's just give it a whirl, shall we? Let's go, Meowstic!" He faintly registered Serena slipping her hand into his.

The dark-haired boy looked at her, but she was already absorbed into the final battle. Calem sighed. Who knew Lysandre would ever end up like this…!?

He shifted his attention back to Serena. Even though her face was scorched from the embers and the heat of the battle, and the orange glow flickered across her face numerous times, she seemed so at peace with herself.

It was exhausting work, Calem had to admit. But he knew, as long as Serena was there, he would have a reason to keep on fighting—no, to keep on _living._

She _was_ the symbol of life, after all.

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**Ah, so the ending was kind of bad, sue me. I'm not very good at writing multi-chapter fics at all but EFFORT...yeah, I tried. *sigh***


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